Elmer "Doc" Thurman, 93, of Grundy Center, IA, formerly of Gladbrook, IA, took his final flight on Friday, February 24, 2012, at Arlington Place, in Grundy Center, IA. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, February, 28, 2012, at the Gladbrook United Methodist Church, in Gladbrook. Visitation will be 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday, February 27, 2012, at the Goettsch Funeral Home, in Gladbrook. Interment will be at Badger Hill Cemetery, in rural Gladbrook. Further arrangements are pending at the Goettsch Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent to www.vogelfuneralhomes.com

Doc was born October 23, 1918 to Lester and Zoa (Lundt) Thurman in Reinbeck, IA. He attended a one room school house in rural Marshall county and went on to graduate from Gladbrook High School in 1936. He was the fifth student to attend flying school at the Niederhauser airway west of Marshalltown. After receiving his pilots license he went to Wichita, Kansas to attend the Great Plains School of Aeronautics. He also took classes at Wichita State University. After school he was employed with Stenson Aircraft, Rearwin Aircraft, and Cessna Aircraft. Doc was united in marriage to Marie Fowler in 1941, while flying in an airplane over Wichita. He served his country in the United States Air Force during WWII. After the war he continued to work for Cessna until returning to Iowa to farm the family farm. Doc was a member of the Flying Farmers Club, Holiday Ramblers Club, and the American Legion.

Doc will be missed by his son, Dale Thurman, a grandson, Rick Thurman, a granddaughter, Jeannie Farr, and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, and a sister.